This article focuses on the role played by innovation in the context of coffee co?operatives. It shows how interconnected forms of innovation contribute to co?operative resilience. Data was collected from the largest coffee co?operative Union in Malawi and illustrates how coffee co?operatives have innovated in order to cope with organizational and market constrains. We identify four areas of innovation: sustainable technologies, development of market niches, women's inclusion and business diversification. The combination of these forms of innovation contributes to co?operative resilience in different degrees, the article also analyzes how innovation is influenced and driven by co?operative's values and principles and by partnerships with national and international actors.

Coffee rust is a leaf disease caused by the fungus, Hemileia vastatrix. Coffee rust epidemics, with intensities higher than previously observed, have affected a number of countries including: Colombia, from 2008 to 2011; Central America and Mexico, in 2012-13; and Peru and Ecuador in 2013. There are many contributing factors to the onset of these epidemics e.g. the state of the economy, crop management decisions and the prevailing weather, and many resulting impacts e.g. on production, on farmers' and labourers' income and livelihood, and on food security. Production has been considerably reduced in Colombia (by 31 % on average during the epidemic years compared with 2007) and Central America (by 16 % in 2013 compared with 2011-12 and by 10 % in 2013-14 compared with 2012-13). These reductions have had direct impacts on the livelihoods of thousands of smallholders and harvesters. For these populations, particularly in Central America, coffee is often the only source of income used to buy food and supplies for the cultivation of basic grains. As a result, the coffee rust epidemic has had indirect impacts on food security.

This document presents the results of the Biodiversity Conservation in Coffee (BCC) project aimed at transforming the global coffee production to support reforestation, wildlife, water and solid conservation, waste and pest management and responsible labor practices. Throughout the implementation of the project both smallholder farmers and bigger plantations were included, assisting them into converting conventional plantations practices with more sustainable standards. This document reports a strong interest from big end-market actors in introducing these standards and start buying certified coffee. Additionally, different studies reported by this document prove a healthier ecosystem with higher biodiversity levels. Success stories in Peru, Guatemala and Brazil are presented including lessons learned for current and future projects. This document is particularly interesting for certification bodies and farm management professionals.

Although the coffee wastewater emanating from the traditional coffee processing plants in Jimma zone is a valuable resource, it is disposed off to the nearby water course without any treatment. As a result, it becomes a severe threat to the aquatic ecosystem and downstream users. To tackle this problem, understanding the nature of the coffee processing wastewater is fundamental for the design and operation of appropriate and effective treatment technologies. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the effect of coffee processing plant effluent on the physicochemical properties of receiving water bodies of Jimma zone Ethiopia.

In this study, Bongers et al. seek to complicate the notion of “smallholder coffee farmer” as a homogenous entity with universal needs, as it often appears in development research. In order for researchers to make effective recommendations regarding management practices, the authors argue, we need a better understanding of the different types of farms that exist in reality. To this end, the authors attempt to construct a typology of farm systems in Uganda using questionnaire data collected from smallholder farmers in August 2011 and February 2012. They employ statistical methods to group characteristics such as farm size, crop makeup, labor and resource availability, and household income from coffee into five distinct farm types: large coffee farms, farms with off-farm activities, coffee-dependent farms, diversified farms, and banana–coffee farms. The researchers then examine which coffee management practices and technologies are commonly used among the five different farm types, and make additional recommendations based on the each type’s specific needs. This study will be useful for readers interested in the diversity of smallholder coffee farms in Uganda, as well as the application of agricultural practices and technologies according to different farm types.

This article gives a thorough overview of the coffee price crisis, exploring price fluctuations in particular and the negative impacts this has on coffee farmers. It explores fluctuations in the market throughout the past decade, and how the coffee industry is entering a new era of decommodification. The authors explain the unique opportunity that this offers farmers; to be able to differentiate their coffee in terms of sustainability and quality, as well as opportunities to commercialize it. They explain this as a niche market, targeting quality, flavour, origin and even intangible attributes such as social and environmental sustainability. The ultimate goal, being that the final price farmers receive for their product is higher and more stable. The authors point out various challenges farmers face if they want to make this transition, such as productivity and transactional constraints that limit their ability to access higher parts of the value chain. This article argues that intermediaries are needed to connect farmers to the new specialized market. This claim is backed up by a cross-case study analysis of three ‘connective businesses’ facilitating meaningful direct trade relationships between smallholder farmers and speciality coffee roasters.

Certification of coffee producers is frequently suggested as a promising strategy for improving the position of smallholder farmers in the market. After the launch of the first Fairtrade label in 1988, several other standards have been promoted either by voluntary agencies (Utz-certified) or by private coffee companies. Each coffee label relies on different strategies for enhancing sustainable production and responsible trade.

Coffee certification in East Africa is of a rather recent nature but has been rapidly expanding, representing currently 26 percent of the world’s sustainable certified coffee supply. Marketing channels, cooperative organisation and household structures show notable differences between Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. Empirical studies on the effects of standards for smallholders are scarce.

This book intends to deepen our understanding on the role and functions of coffee certification regimes, based on three innovative approaches: (1) longitudinal field survey data capturing changes in coffee farming systems and effects on household welfare; (2) in-depth interviews and behavioural experiments regarding risk attitudes, trust and investments at cooperative level; and (3) detailed discourse analyses regarding gender roles and female bargaining power within coffee households. The chapters included in this book provide new and original evidence about the impact of coffee certification based on large-scale field surveys and in-depth interviews.

Coffee, as a commodity and through its global value chains, is the focus of much interest to achieve fair trade and equitable outcomes for producers, processors and consumers. It has iconic cultural and economic significance for Colombia, which is one of the world’s major coffee producers for the global market. This book examines sustainable coffee production in Colombia, specifically the initiatives of Nestlé to create shared value.

It describes the transformation of the coffee landscape by the development of economically, socially and environmentally viable and dedicated supply chains. Suppliers have been encouraged to shift production and quality paradigms, in order to develop long-term and sustainable strategies for higher value and premium quality products. This has been partially achieved by establishing a robust partnership with the Coffee Growers Federation and other public, private and social actors, thereby taking control of the institutional architecture and knowledge base that exists in the country. The book provides an important lesson of corporate social responsibility and the creation of shared value for the benefit of farmers, corporations and consumers.

Con la finalidad de determinar la sustentabilidad de la caficultura orgánica en La Convención-Cusco se evaluó de forma comparativa la sostenibilidad de la producción de
café arábico a nivel social, ambiental y económico del sistema orgánico y convencional, mediante indicadores estratégicos.

At Counter Culture, we take a unique approach to buying coffee. Not only do we work hard to build relationships in our supply chain, we share information to promote transparency along that supply chain, as well. This information flow is far from normal in the coffee industry, but it helps us to improve coffee quality, as well as build trust in our relationships. We could share our opinion of how things are going, especially as it relates to the core of our business - sourcing coffee - but we think it's more valuable to show our progress by sharing actual data. We've reworked our reporting section and titled it "Transparency" because we see this page as a one-stop shop for sharing everything about how we do business. Think of it as a super-detailed About Us page that includes information about our company, our operations, and how we buy coffee.

The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard provides requirements and guidance for companies and other organizations preparing a corporate-level GHG emissions inventory. The standard covers the accounting and reporting of seven greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol - carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PCFs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). It was updated in 2015 with the Scope 2 Guidance, which allows companies to credibly measure and report emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat, and cooling.

The atmosphere CO2 concentration increased from ca. 280, prior to the Industrial Revolution up to ca. 400 L CO2 L-1 in our days, rising nearly 2 ppm per year actually. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC) estimates at the end of 21st century the [CO2] could reach values between 445 and 1130 �L CO2 L-1, with a potential impact on global temperature and changes in water availability: These changes will have major agricultural and ecological implications. Here are presented some perspectives concerning the potential impacts of these environmental changes on the physiology and, consequently, on the production of Coffea arabica and C. canephora species, which together account for about 99% of the worldwide yielded coffee bean, considering the coffee plant's requirements mostly focused in temperature.

This team of researchers in Kenya conducted an extensive survey of 375 smallholder coffee farmers across four cooperative societies. Their focus was on the economic and social sustainability of these households, with special attention paid to the role of women and youth. The results show that women and children do a large amount of unpaid work in coffee, while male household heads normally control the money that is earned by selling coffee. They show that poor access to credit hurts both youth and women in coffee, and that the youth are largely disinterested in coffee. Further, parents are reluctant to pass land down to their children. The group recommends, among other things, changes in culture beginning with integrating coffee into the local school curricula, and improved access to credit for women and younger coffee farmers. Readers interested in gender issues, youth issues, and East African supply chains will find this paper particularly interesting.

This team of climate scientists used carefully selected climate simulation models to demonstrate the probabilities of different climate scenarios, directly examining how each scenario will affect coffee growing in four different subregions by 2050. The data is complex, but the team came away with strong evidence that some countries’ coffee growing regions will be very negatively impacted by climate change, like Mesoamerica, Brazil, and Uganda. Other countries might be able to strategize, because as lower lands become less suitable higher lands become more suitable for coffee – but moving so much production requires planning and large-scale work. Countries like Papua New Guinea will be less affected, while Indonesia could potentially increase production while suitable areas decrease with strategic changes. Crop diversification and coffee breeding programs are both key in the coming decades to make smallholders more resilient. Readers interested in climate change and global changes in the industry will find this article particularly useful.

This article strives to examine the data behind women’s participation in agricultural and microfinance cooperatives in Uganda – not only their membership in the group but factors that lead to their long-term commitment and involvement in the success of the coop. The author explains that women with a more equitable voice in running their households have higher levels of participation in both the agricultural groups as well as are more likely to use the credit cooperatives. Women are likely to benefit from the training programs offered, and the most committed women are also more likely to take steps to improve their coffee’s quality using proper wet processing techniques at their cooperative. The author explains that coops can help empower women and that unequal relationships in the home can become slowly more equitable with time, to the benefit of both the woman and her cooperative. Readers interested in Uganda, women and gender in coffee, and agricultural cooperatives will find this article especially useful.